Bridget has delivered her maiden speech in the House of Commons. The speech marked the start of her career in the chamber and you can read the full text by clicking on the link at the bottom of this article.

In the speech, Bridget paid tribute to her two predecessors, Fraser Kemp and Chris Mullin.Of Fraser, she said:

“[he] is a very modest man who never sought accolades or recognition for his achievements, but many of us know the debt that we owe to him. I pay tribute to Fraser not simply because he is my predecessor, but because of his values, integrity and decency. He fought many cases on behalf of vulnerable and desperate constituents whom he always treated with the utmost sensitivity and compassion.”

Chris, she said:

“[he] was never afraid to champion unpopular causes and often found himself ostracised in the process. I am sure that there is a lesson there for us all-that we should never be afraid to speak out, even if the cause appears at the time to be an unpopular or a difficult one.”

Bridget also spoke of her area saying:

“We have made tremendous progress in Houghton and Sunderland South. Our area has adapted remarkably to significant economic, industrial and social change, much of it not of our choosing during the 1980s and 1990s. We are resilient and faced adversity in the past; I am confident that we can now show the same kind of determination again in meeting new challenges.”

Finally, Bridget expressed her priorities as the new MP for Houghton and Sunderland South, pledging:

“I will be unafraid to speak out where I see injustice that will damage the lives and living standards of my constituents, which have improved so greatly in the past 13 years. I will resist any measure that will damage our economy, our families, and the services on which we all rely. I remain committed to tackling inequality in all its forms.”

You can view the full text of the speech by clickinghere.